Estrategias de terapia celular para el tratamiento de la diabetes tipo 1: dónde estamos y qué podemos esperar

Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a multisystem chronic organic syndrome characterized by increased blood glucose levels that occur as a result of low concentrations of insulin hormone due to selective elimination of pancreatic beta cells as a consequence of an aberrant autoimmune response. The results of clinical trials based on islet transplantation performed in patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 have greatly increased the interest in this field. This technique requires a significant number of pancreatic islets to achieve the objective of insulin-independence. Thus, the current strategies seek to preserve beta cell mass in patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 or generate de novo beta cells for transplantation. In this regard, cell therapy strategies based on stem cells represent a very promising alternative.